Building a pair of Tinkerbells

More progress

2012-02-01T20:15:00.001Z

Well, the weather's taken a turn for the worse but progress hasn't. The boilers are both now lagged, and one tink has the cladding on. She also has the manifold fitted, the boiler clacks, and one injector is piped up. The ejector is all done, as is the blower. So, before the first set of tanks return, I need to do the small injector piping then I'm ready for them to go on. Next, the second set of tanks will go to be sprayed, and I get to start doing the lining.

Progress to date

2012-01-14T22:10:00.002Z

Since the last post, lots of little jobs have been done, moving the locos closer to completion. These include finishing off painting the frames, building the manifolds, fitting the vacuum controls and piping, making the blast pipes, and getting the buffer beams and smokebox supports painted. A big job has been to fit the chimnies. Over xmas I painted and lined the cylinder covers.Last week the boiler cladding went to the sprayer for painting. He says that it will be done by next week, when I will take the tanks, bunkers and cabs up to him for some of his magic. After that I have to do the lining. . . . So today I did 2 of the last 3 jobs needed before the cladding can go on - making and fitting the steam pipe from the regulator valve to the pipe between the frames, and painting the smokeboxes. All that remains is to fit the lagging.Once the cladding is on, I will fit the manifolds, then pipe up the blower and injectors. Then I'm ready for fitting the tanks.

In the sunshine

2011-09-30T15:43:00.002+01:00

I took the opportunity of getting the locos out today in the sun to get some jobs done that are difficult in the shed.Having completed the second set of tanks and bunker, they got attached to the running boards. I also fixed the cab front to the second loco. Below is a photo of the two locos together - at last, they really do start to look like real locomotives!!!

Tanks. . . . .

2011-09-23T17:19:00.001+01:00

Today, I completed the tanks for tinkerbell number 2. All they need is the running boards drilling so that they can be bolted down, and they're ready to go. Over the next days, I will be drilling those holes and fitting the weatherboard. Then, its on to the bunker and roof.

Progress

2011-08-30T15:13:00.003+01:00

The picture above shows progress to date on twin 1. The tanks are done, the bunker/cab are very nearly done (just need the coal rails adding), and it's really starting to look like a locomotive at last. Attention will now turn to building the tanks, bunker and cab roof for twin 2, before the whole lot goes to the sprayer.

A better photograph

2011-05-05T15:13:00.000+01:00

Now that the dust has settled on the boilers, it's time to take a better photograph.

Boilers on!!

2011-04-15T21:08:00.001+01:00

By the time the job was done, the light was fading so the photo's not great quality, but I had to take one to record the event.

Ready for the boilers

2011-04-13T11:43:00.001+01:00

In the past couple of weeks, I have:

1) Completed the 'underneath' work on both locos (ashpans, firebar supports)
2) Fitted the smokeboxes
3) Made and fitted the running boards

So both chassis are now ready to receive their boilers. Hopefully I can get this done at the weekend.

Progress . . . .

2011-04-06T16:25:00.000+01:00

The two smokeboxes are now complete with doors, hinges and associated closing gear. Recently, I have been fitting the ashpan to loco number 2, and this has also had the firebar supports fitted. The next jobs are to complete number 2's ashpan, then get the smokebox saddles bolted to the frames ready to put the smokeboxes on.

Smokeboxes

2011-03-21T09:39:00.000Z

Well, after a few months out to build a pair of diesels, it's now tinkerbell time again. I have recently welded up the smokeboxes, and am currently busily making the associated furniture - hinges, dart etc.
The drain cock assemblies have gone in, as has the vacuum brake swan necks.
I am currently working on getting everything 'underneath' done ready to put the boilers on.
Photos and further updates to follow soon.

October 2010

2010-10-06T09:33:00.000+01:00

It's been a long while since I found time to write something here. Sorry!!

Since the last update, I have:

1) Completed the chassis and air tested them
2) Made and fitted the ashpans
3) Made the drain cocks
4) Fetched the boilers
5) Made the smokeboxes

Currently, I'm also building a pair of diesels for friends, but hope to get these completed soon so that I have more room to work on the tinks. Then, I'll be fitting and piping up the drain cocks and blast pipes, then it's full steam ahead with fitting the boilers.

March 2010

2010-03-21T14:00:00.005Z

Yes, I know it's been a while since I added something here. In the last few months, I have got the cylinders attached to the frames, and also got the motion brackets, slidebars and crossheads sorted out. I have also got the rear part of the valvegear assembled (up to the combination lever). The reversers are also all done. So, all that's left before air test time is the valve rods etc.

Chassis erected

2009-11-20T15:28:00.001Z

Recent work has seen the two chassis erected, driving wheels fitted and quartered, footwells and brakes fitted.

Update

2009-10-19T07:20:00.002+01:00

Work and other commitments have meant that progress has been slow of late. However, the first set of frames were erected a little while ago, and the rear pony has been assembled. Work has started on the brake gear. Once this is done, she will get pushed back in the workshop and the second set will be erected.

Boring job . . .

2009-03-03T10:43:00.003Z

The foundry cast my cylinders (etc.) for me, they are a great job, and delivered to the door!! It's an amazing feeling to have them delivered having made the patterns myself. I have now published the cylinder drawing on the website. It's a very simple, 2.75" bore cylinder, the additional size (up from the original's 2.5") is easily handled by the locomotive boiler. I have now faced off and bored all 4 of my blocks, hopefully I will get some of the ports milled out later this week.

Castings

2008-12-26T21:44:00.003Z

The first of the castings are now back from the foundry. I got one of each item cast to check machining tolerances etc. before getting them cast
!!

Crossheads and castings

2008-12-09T07:14:00.003Z

I have now completed milling out the crossheads. Three weeks ago these were 30mm thick lumps of 3" square steel bar, now look at them. As you can see, I'm going for a double slidebar arrangement, rather than the single one of the original one. This saves width at the front end, which then means I don't have to use that awful bent coupling rod. I have also made a set of patterns (cylinder set, chimney cap and base, smokebox door, brake blocks), and the trial castings are due back before the end of the year. Given that these are OK I aim to get several sets cast early in the new year.

Coupling and connecting rods completed

2008-10-17T21:34:00.001+01:00

The rods are now complete. Having had them water cut, all that was required was to tack pairs of them together, and then finish off the holes for the bearings. Then, push them in and paint them. Really couldn't be simpler. I have also attached most of the angles to the frames, so when time allows the first pair can be assembled. However, the first priority is to lay a shed base so that I have room for the second engine. The second is to get the patterns for the cylinders etc. done, so that I can get these sent off to get the castings made. So far, I have completed the chimney cap, and have done a good bit of the cylinder block, valve chest and crosshead patterns.

Axle sets nearly done !!

2008-08-22T11:37:00.001+01:00

This photo shows the fruits of July and August's labours - 2 sets of wheels. hey're not quite done (the front sets only have one flycrank each fitted, and the cranks need pinning) but I think they're about 90% done. I have also bored all the coupling and connecting rod holes ready for the bearings.

Update

2008-08-01T21:16:00.002+01:00

Haven't had much time to keep this updated recently, apologies for that. Anyway, since my last update, I have made the 4 slider blocks for the valve gear, complete with their cheeks and die rollers. I have made and fitted the crankpins to the flycranks. I have made the first two axles, and pressed the wheels on them. As soon as the loctite is set, I shall put the bearings on them and then press on the flycranks as well. I have also drilled the second set of buffer beams. I have purchased two lubricators, and a second set of gauge glass fittings. I also found a nice looking whistle on ebay, for the second engine. So, quite a bit done these past few weeks.

Progress to date

2008-06-01T19:45:00.003+01:00

The photo shows the current state of the two sets of valve gear - swing links and combination levers bored out and roller bearings pressed in, holes tapped and then the whole lot painted. I have also made 18 (yes, 18) motion pins to fit the lot together. The central core is silver steel, with an M8 thread at the end. They also have a 3mm hole drilled into them, with a grease nipple screwed into the end, and a hole opened out so that lubrication can get into the bearings.

2008-05-25T14:48:00.001+01:00

Summary of progress to date

2008-05-25T14:33:00.002+01:00

Wheels obtained
Driving wheel bearings obtained
Rear trucks built
Handbrake stand, column and lever made
Laser/water cuttings obtained
Swings links bored out and bearings fitted
Combination levers tapped and bored, bearings fitted
Banana links finished and painted
Axles turned to length
Weigh- and brake shaft turned to length
Conn and coupling rod bearings obtained

Moved build log to a blog

2008-05-25T14:31:00.001+01:00

In order to simplify things (and thus, hopefully keep regular progress updates coming out), I have decided to move the build log to a blogging site.